Grupo Miel - Get Down Tonight / Sombras de Colores. 1976 Chile

The first track is a cover of KC & The Sunshine Band. That's... interesting. Some cool Moog work though. The B side is intriguing. Starts off as a ballad and then goes into a prog direction with some fine guitar. Then back to more poppy material. Amazing a band like this could exist in Chile during Pinochet's reign. They don't appear to be political, so that probably helped. They were post Sacros.

3.0 / 3.5

12/30/23

The Free - Decision For Lost Soul Blue / What Makes You. 1968 USA-Detroit

Detroit based group, many consider the A side one of the high water marks of psychedelic, given its massive fuzz break about half way through. As a tune, it's pretty good, with a consistent tribal top beat. The other side is more friendly, with a hippie singalong style and some finger pickin' guitar. Given the major label exposure (was later issued on ATCO), this is one of those 45s you actually have a chance of finding in the wilds.

5/6/20 (first listen); 12/17/23 (review / new entry)

Sounds Synonymous - Tensions / Babylon. 1969 USA-Michigan

From Flint, Michigan. Both sides of this very rare 45 have been comp'd quite a bit, and I have the B side since it's on the For a Few Fuzz Guitars More release. Both are very heavy for their era, and it doesn't seem too many of these bands were able to get to the LP stage. Though a whole album of music like this could prove to be exhausting - like early Blue Cheer in that way.

11/30/19 (first listen); 12/17/23 (review / new entry)

Zendik - Is There No Peace / Aesop. 1970 USA-Chicago

Zendik are a band from Chicago that has found themselves on a couple of those Brown Acid series albums (met those guys in Austin BTW as they were interested in some of JL's stuff). The A side is fairly strong hard rock, with lots of screaming vocals, and hyperactive drumming. There's some psych leftover here too. B side is more melodic. Ultimately both tracks fall into the sought after "bonehead" category. Though I'd submit that tag sells most of these pieces short in terms of thoughtfulness. I like that they state "Recorded in America". 

12/17/23

Park Avenue Playground - I Know / The Trip. 1969 USA-Chicago

From the Chicago suburb of Lansing. Despite being on a "major minor", this 45 is extinct. The B side is considered one of the pinnacles of American psych, and it's easy to understand why. Loaded with fuzz, organ, and trippy vocals, it defines what the psychedelic era means in the States. Fortunately I have this track courtesy of the Beyond the Calico Wall CD compilation. 'I Know' is like a rawer Strawberry Alarm Clock, so I'm down with this side too. 

5/15/18 (first listen); 12/17/23 (review / new entry)

Maxx - 200 Years / Castles. 1969 USA-Michigan

Speaking of Michigan bands that started private and then moved to a major label (see The Free entry). From Lansing, Maxx starts off in heavy rock territory, with some almost metalish guitar. It's a good tune too, better for my tastes than The Free. Best I can tell, the Mainstream release is a promo that features the first track only. The second song is fairly lengthy for a single at five minutes, and contains more of a jazzy trippy sound with meandering lightly tuned guitar. I like it too - so having the original Signal press is the way to go here.

12/17/23

Silverhorse – Weariness / Lady Marian. 1980 USA-Cleveland

Starting off very much in the same territory as Kansas' 'Carry On Wayward Son', Silverhorse's sole release promises eight minutes of hard rock / prog / AOR. And that's pretty much what you get. More stripped down - no violins or keyboards to get in the way. But dual guitars and harmony vocals are very much accounted for. It appears they're from the Cleveland area, and their sound is hardcore Midwest club circuit. Grab it if you see it.

Ownership: SP: 1980 Thoroughbred. Recent online acquisition (2023). There is a picture sleeve, but my copy doesn't have it. It's obscure but not enough to qualify for the Unknown Vinyl blog.

5/24/23 (first listen / review / new entry)

The Psychotics - School Boy Blues / If You Don't Believe Me, Don't. 1969 USA-Michigan

From Grand Rapids (wondering now if I shouldn't have a separate tag for this fine, but relatively small, city). The a) side is super - truly psyched out blues with killer fuzz and organ. Vocals are definitely of the blues, or even early punk. B)'s pacing reminds me of The Doors in their bluesier moments. And their organ sounds older than even Manzarek's! Finishes with a blistering fuzz solo. This is really great. 

7/22/22

The Blues Company - Experiment in Color / She's Gone. 1968 USA-Michigan

From Bay City. Yea, definitely more garage than psych. The a) track has a killer name, but musically is pretty tame by 1968 standards. B) is even more typical. Hugely sought after, but mostly lost on me. I'd rate it good, but nothing more.

7/22/22

Phlegethon - You're No Good / The Sun. 1970 USA-Michigan

From Michigan. Looks like I heard this nearly four years ago in my initial discovery of the underground psych world of 45s. The a) side is indeed the track that Linda Ronstadt made famous. But with an ancient organ and killer fuzz! And some downer male vocals. The b) side also features some fine fuzz, but is more rural friendly. Lots of pirate comps out there featuring a), would be nice to get something legit out there.

12/9/18 (first listen); 7/22/22 (review / new entry)

Dick Rabbit - Take Me To L.A. / You Come On Like a Train. 1968 USA-Michigan

I've written about Dick Rabbit before, and it was for their other single. This is very similar to that one. Heavy fuzz psych guitar trio clearly molded after The Jimi Hendrix Experience. Both tracks are great, but the B side is lethal! This one needs to be comp'd with a full history.

7/22/22

The Wanderers - On the Road / Sleepin' in the Sun. 1968 USA-Michigan

Garage band from Michigan, near Grand Rapids. Pretty typical garage sounds, not very adventurous for the psych era, though there are remnants of that on the a) side. B) is fairly poppy but pleasant. Decent period piece. There's a lot of info about the band here.

7/22/22

Bulldog - Man of Constant Sorrow / Inner Spring. 1970 Australia

Odd one here as Bulldog were an Australian band that got picked up by an obscure Philadelphia sublabel of Jamie. Sophisticated hard rock for the era, in particular the b) side. 

Ownership: SP: 1970 Guyden. Online acquisition (2022).

This was a mistake buy as I thought I was getting a complete unknown, but I must have typed it in wrong. Nevertheless a collection worthy piece.

5/29/22 

Passenger - Better Man / Sally Ann. 1977 USA-Tennessee

Here's another great find! The a) side is a total ripper, with a heavy guitar/synth riff and some mean organ. Sounds like a heavy version of Styx (think James Young). The flip side is more of a romantic ballad. Maybe think Dennis DeYoung here. Some definite Styx vibes. Maybe a little Elton John on the b) side too. But it's the first song that you're after here.

The label is mostly known for country music, so this is a real outlier in their catalog.

Ownership: SP: 1977 Prairie Dust. Online acquisition (2022).

4.5 / 3.0

2/5/22

Night Watch - Babey Blues / Battle Cries. 1984 USA

Another great discovery, the b) side has an intriguing prog meets neo classical metal sound. So it turns out to be from 1984 right at the advent of the neo prog movement, with traces of hard rock and metal. Sure would love to hear a whole album of this! The a) side is completely different and is blues rock, old school style. But... and it's a big one... it features a killer psych solo! What an interesting find. The photo on RYM has WKNH, which is a station in Keene, New Hampshire. Maybe they were from the region?

Ownership: SP: 1984 T.H.X. Online acquisition (2022)

2/5/22 

Happy - When and How / Letting Easy Take Me. 1974 USA-Virginia

The a) side is a complete stunner. Starts off beautiful enough with acoustic guitar and keys, which leads to a goose bump inducing mellotron strings chord progression. This track is absolutely loaded with mellotron strings, and is particularly gorgeous when the guitarist plays an equally beautiful lightly amplified jazzy solo on top. What an absolute monster of a track, the pinnacle of psychedelic folk. The flip is completely different and is southern rock, though despite the jarring contrast, is pretty good actually. There's some unusual drumming up front, and the latter half has the guitarist back out front with another great solo! Love his style, expressive but subdued.

Ownership: SP: 1974 Studio 1. Online acquisition (2022). Since I added this to Discogs, it's really taken off.

5.0 / 3.5

2/5/22

Starfire - Islands / Slippery. 1974 USA-Los Angeles

Interesting one here. I knew both of these tracks from their sole album, which is also extremely obscure. Somewhere along the line I ended up with the bootleg CD, so that's how I heard them in the first place. Never expected to find the original 45 though, and not expensive either! For 1974, the progressive rock presented is a bit out of date, but there's not a whole lot from the States that played in this genre back then either. Heavy on the Hammond organ, sounds more like a 1970 transitional album out of psych. Maybe like SRC's Traveler's Tale.

Ownership: SP: 1974 Crimson. Online acquisition (2021).

4.0 / 4.0

11/2/21 (first listen); 1/27/22 (review / new entry)

Contingent - Fantasy / Such a Time. 1971 USA-Rhode Island

A) side is a solid brass rocker with tight horn charts and rocking rhythm. B) side is a bit more introspective with piano, trumpet, and trombone. Nice one for the genre.

Ownership: SP: 1971 Freeform. Sold to me online at a higher grade than it was, so that was disappointing (2021).

4.0 / 3.5

11/2/21 (first listen); 1/27/22 (review / new entry)

New World - Somebody Will be There / Look Outside. 19?? USA-Texas

Real obscurity from Killeen, Texas. The first side is a mix of soul, funk, horn rock, and pop. Sort of like the 5th Dimension. Nice, but not the reason to own. It's the b) side you're after. Starting with a wicked heavy guitar riff, it sets the tone for the rest. Heavy rhythm guitar and chunky organ follows. Good guitar solo at the end. Overall reminds a bit of Micah actually, which is a rare musical comparison, trust me there.

Own. Online acquisition (2021).

3.0 / 5.0

7/24/21 (first listen); 1/27/22 (review / new entry)

The Mergers - Loving You / Unworthy American. 1967 USA-Detroit

The Mergers were a band from the Detroit area who released this one 45 before disappearing. The a) side is a low key drifty psych pop track with dual male and female vocals, picked guitar, and ancient organ. Very nice melody even though the vocals are a bit out of tune. The b) has a great bass riff followed by more haunting organ. Vocals are more like Eric Burden here. Man, the organ against the rhythmic breaks are killer here. Really like this one.

Ownership: SP: 1967 Cass. Online acquisition (2021)

7/24/21 (first listen); 1/27/22 (review / new entry)